Eastern Barred Bandicoot

Eastern Barred Bandicoot
Perameles gunnii

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Subclass:	Marsupialia
Order:	Peramelemorphia
Family:	Peramelidae

Status

Australia:	endangered EPBC listed
Victoria:	critically endangered FFG listed
Tasmania:	vulnerable
SA:	extinct

The Eastern Barred Bandicoot (Perameles gunnii) is a small (rabbit sized) marsupial with a long pointed nose. Colour varies from yellowish-brown above to grey underneath and a light colour on upper side of tail. The most distinguishing feature is the three or four pale bars on the hindquarters.

Formerly widespread throughout western Victoria, the population in Victoria is estimated to be as low as 150 animals It is now confined to only a handful of locations, the only wild population being near Hamilton in the west of the state and four re-introduced sites. Eastern Barred Bandicoots are extinct in South Australia but still occur in Tasmania, however they are genetically different to the Victorian population.

Natural habitat comprises tall, dense native grasslands and grassy woodlands, although remnant populations have adapted to modified habitats provided there is adequate shelter and effective control of predators. Feeding is carried out at night and being omnivorous the diet varies according to the availability of food which includes beetles, crickets, worms, caterpillars and plant material such as berries, tubers and bulbs.

Reintroduced sites of which only four remain viable

In Victoria, home range varies between 13 to 20 hectares for males and 2 to 3 hectares for females with some overlap in areas. Breeding can occur throughout the year but more prolific between July to November and the success of a breeding season is dependent upon conditions such as the availability of water, food and cover. With an average litter size of 2 and a capacity to have multiple litters per breeding season the population has the potential to expand rapidly under ideal conditions, particularly as offspring have a capacity to reproduce after only 4 months of age. In reality however, optimal conditions are infrequent and high mortality has retarded any significant expansion. During drought conditions population recruitment is low.

Threats

Major threats are loss of native grassland and grassy woodland habitat and predation from foxes, cats and dogs.

Management actions

Management is carried out in accordance with a Recovery Plan and through a recovery team.

A captive breeding program at Melbourne Zoo provides both security to the population and also a means of producing animals for reintroduction into the wild. Self-supporting populations protected by fox proof fences have been established at Hamilton Community Parklands and Woodlands Historic Park. Re-introduction into the wild without protective fencing has also been undertaken at ‘Mooramong’ near Skipton, Lake Goldsmith Wildlife Reserve near Beaufort, Floating Islands Nature Reserve near Colac and on a private property ‘Lanark’ at Branxholme. Success has varied with drought conditions having a negative impact at all sites in recent years.

All reintroduced sites have declined since the late 1990’s and have not recovered. The recovery plan is now focusing on developing fewer sites such as Woodlands, Moomerong, Hamilton and Mt Rothwell which have been the most resilient sites. The non productive reintroduction sites will be abandoned.

The drought has a major impact on populations and the recovery plan will look at ways of drought proofing future re-introductions.

Actions for Eastern Barred Bandicoot recovery 2009

Woodlands Historic Park (Parks Victoria) – actions by Parks Victoria

Monitor and manage predators esp. Foxes according to site management protocols: Predator activity targets met at each reintroduction site.
Upgrade fencing for better fox control
Reintroduce bandicoots from captive breeding program to re-establish population when predators and browsing managed to required low levels.
Undertake population monitoring.
Monitor condition of habitat.

Mooramong (Private property) – actions by DSE

Control predators to protect EBB population.
Undertake population monitoring once per year
Monitor condition of habitat.
Involve local community including friends groups in Eastern Barred Bandicoot activities and promote the Recovery Program.
Protect habitat from fire.
Restore and extend habitat.

Eastern barred bandicoot head Amy Winard.jpg

Juvenile female

Hamilton Community Parklands (Southern Grampian Shire) – actions by DSE

Control predators to protect EBB population.
Manage Kangaroo numbers to prevent overgrazing and loss of EBB habitat
Maintain predator proof barrier fence.
Manage environmental weeds.
Involve local community including friends groups in Eastern Barred Bandicoot activities and promote the Recovery Program.
Undertake population monitoring at least once per year, more frequent if possible.

Mount Rothwell Conservation and Research Centre (Private property)

Build new, renew, and maintain predator-barrier fence at Mt Rothwell.
Manage all mammalian grazing pressure to prevent overgrazing and loss of EBB habitat
Undertake population monitoring and monitor condition of habitat by recovery team.

Melbourne Zoo

Manage captive population to meet population targets and provide 50 Eastern Barred Bandicoots for release each year.

Removal of noxious weeds and predator control by CVA volunteers at Woodlands Historic Park

A 7 km long predator proof fence being constructed with help from CVA volunteers at Woodlands Historic Park

Eastern Barred Bandicoot recovery update to 2012

The success of the recovery program to-date has been achieved through co-operation between a number of organisations who have worked together to secure remnant populations, increase the captive population and create new predator proof areas for releases that will provide additional security for this species into the future.

Hamilton Community Parklands

Surveys during 2011-12 indicate the Hamilton population is doing well. Surveys have been conducted every 4 months and involve 2 nights trapping. Bandicoot numbers have increased during autumn with about 50-60 bandicoots in the 100 ha reserve which is protected by a predator proof fence.

Mt Rothwell

This population has been competing against an increasing rabbit population due to abundant grass cover but natural predation from native predators combined with rabbit control programs has seen the Bandicoot population rise to an estimated 300 animals.

Mooramong

This population has continued to fall and is not viable in the wild. There is no plan to release any more bandicoots here in the near future as it is not fox free. Some breeding capacity has been established with four females and one male being housed within fenced off predator proof pens.

Woodlands Historic Park

Conservation Volunteers Australia working in partnership with Parks Victoria have completed a 7 km predator proof fence that will provide a secure area of about 300 Ha for Eastern Barred Bandicoots. Over winter, works will focus on a rabbit, fox and feral cat eradication program. This will be followed by a monitoring plan to ensure there is a fox free environment before planned releases in late spring 2012.

This project project is a significant contribution to the long term conservation of this species and will add to other Eastern Barred Bandicoot projects which have large predator free areas at Hamilton Community Parklands, Mt Rothwell Biodiversity Interpretation Centre and eventually Werribee Open Range Zoo.

Serendip Sanctuary

Conservation Volunteers Australia has a Wild Futures project at Serendip Sanctuary, Lara. With support from Parks Victoria, the CVA volunteers have refurbished old aviaries to make them suitable for holding Eastern Barred Bandicoots. This has included new walls, roofing and replacement of ground substrate. A 4 hectare octagonal pen which includes seven internal fences has also been restored. This pen has predator proof skirting around the entire area. Rabbits and weeds have been removed and a number of native grasses and shrubs are being planted. There are currently 11 Eastern Barred Bandicoots being raised that will be moved to the larger enclosure prior to release.

Apart from specialist work by selected contractors and Parks Victoria much of the work has been undertaken by volunteers. They are from a wide number of different places, e.g. school groups, corporate teams, a group from Brotherhood of Saint Laurence, University clubs and a regular group of volunteers that come out each week that are made up mostly of students from the Gordon Tafe in Geelong, local community members and Internationals. Matt Landy is the CVA Grasslands Project Officer coordinating this project, 0418171399.

Werribee Open Range Zoo

The Zoo plays a key role in implementing Zoos Victoria Fighting Extinction Strategy for the Eastern Barred Bandicoot. The Werribee Open Range Zoo also provides part of the Australasian Species Management Program for Eastern Barred Bandicoots and is part of the Eastern Barred Bandicoot Recovery Team. Captive breeding has been carried out at the zoo and 36 breeding pods established to assist in captive breeding success. The Eastern Barred Bandicoot is capable of giving birth to up to five joeys five times a year (with an average of 2-3 joeys each time). So if conditions are right the population can quickly expand.

A significant project at Werribee Open Range Zoo has been the completion of predator proof fencing which now provides opportunity for 190 Ha of secure predator free habitat. Work is being undertaken to optimise habitat for the Eastern Barred Bandicoot, which include ripping rabbit burrows, treating the enclosed area to remove foxes and feral cats and restoration of grassland habitat. At least 3000 rabbits have been removed through the baiting program. Releases into the predator free areas is planned to commence in late 2112 with releases planned for 5 different predator free areas within the Zoo by mid 2013.

These Eastern Barred Bandicoots will not be as intensively managed by Zoo keepers but a regular trapping program will enable keepers to monitor their condition.

The Werribee Open Range Zoo has two hand reared Eastern Barred Bandicoots that have been added to the collection for encounters with visitors and VIPs. These two animals are doing an important job advocating this elusive species to visitors and VIPs.

French Island

A planned release of 20 non breeding Eastern Barred Bandicoots will be carried out on French Island in July 2012. At this stage it will just be a trial release of around 20 bandicoots to determine if a full scale release will cause any problems. The release will comprise (10 females and 10 sterile males) which are mainly sourced from the Hamilton Community Parklands population. They will be released in two groups of ten animals composed of five females and five males. A monitoring program conducted by Rebecca Groenewegen from Melbourne University will involve radio tracking to monitor movement and dispersal.

See French Island Eastern Barred Bandicoot Trial Release

Population variations - during the cooler months there is a peak in the number of pouch young, this declines as the weather gets warmer. It is now thought this peak is due to the longer nights in the cooler months and high energy food items such as beetle larvae being more available due to the less compact soils. Previously it was thought that increases in pouch young were due to rainfall but results of research do not support that theory.

If you are interested in assisting with the Eastern Barred Bandicoot project you can register your interest

Partnerships

Hamilton Field Naturalists Club has received TSN WWF grant funding to undertake Feral cat control and responsible pet ownership education to protect the wild population of Eastern Barred Bandicoots in Hamilton. view Cat banner
CVA Wild Futures
Zoos Victoria - fighting extinction Eastern Barred Bandicoot

Eastern Barred Bandicoot

Contents

Habitat & ecology

Threats

Management actions

See also: